Attaching heels by welding



April 15, 1941.

G. T. HART, JR 2,238,054 ATTACHING HEELS BY WELDING Filed May 23, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 1 R35 7 5 m 5 Tlgrl. *Z

3 Sheets-$heet 2 G. T. HART, JR

Filed May 23, 1940 ATTACHING HEELS BY WELDING April 15, 1941.

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April 15, 1941. s. T. HART, JR

ATTACHING HEELS BY WELDING 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 25, 1940 PatentedApr. 15, 1941 2,238,054

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,238,054 ATTACHIN G HEELS BY WELDING George'1'. Hart, Jr., Lynn, Mass., assignor to United Shoe MachineryCorporation, Borough of Fiemington, N. J., a corporation of New JerseyApplication May 23, 1940, Serial No. 336,751 17 Claims. (CI. 12-42) Thisinvention relates to a device for welding pressure to squeeze the heelagainst the shoe metallic articles, the welding heat being producedexactly at the time when the arc is extinguished by an are caused by ahigh-frequency electroand the fusing action takes place. Still otherstatic field. The invention is herein illustrated features of theinvention reside in improved as embodied in a device for attaching heelsto electrode supporting devices adapted to hold inshoes by weldingmetallic parts associated with sulated U-shaped electrodes in firmengagement said heels and shoes. This application is a conwith theperiphery of the heel and with the tinuation of my earlier applicationfor Letters rear end of the shoe respectively. Patent of the UnitedStates, filed September 20, These and other features of the inventionwill 1938, Serial No. 230,835, for Improvements in the best beunderstood from a consideration of the art of joining parts, as to allthe subject-matter specification, taken in connection with the acwhichis common to both applications. companying drawings, in which In thatapplication, there is described and Fig. l is a side elevation of thedevice, with claimed a method of connecting metal parts poparts brokenaway;

sitioned in a high-frequency electrostatic field Fig. 2 is an endelevation;

and in which an arc is drawn between said parts Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryview showing a portion as they are separated, said are being dependentof the device as viewed in Fig. 1, but with the upon energy suppliedwholly by the electrostatic heel tilted to draw an arc; and field. Aftera very short interval the parts to be Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show the heeland the adjajoined will have been heated by the are, wherecent portionof the shoe in successive positions upon they are forced together tocause a fusion as the steps of attaching the heel are carried of thearcing points. The method is particularly out.

adapted to the attachment of heels to shoes be- The device hereinillustrated is shown in a cause of the fact that said articles may beproform particularly adapted for attaching heels vided with metalmembers which are wholly surto shoes, and there has been illustrated awoman"s rounded by a non-metallic medium, save at the shoe S which isprovided with a Cuban heel H. surface of contact, and because by theutilization It will be understood, however, that the invenof anelectrostatic field heat may 'be supplied to tion is not limited to usefor welding these parsaid members, without the necessity ofconductticular articles or for attaching this particular ing electricitydirectly to them, by separating the type of. heel.

metallic members within the field to draw an The heel is supported fromabove by a strucarc. ture to be later described, while the shoe is sup-To this end, an important object of the invenported from below uponmechanism mounted tion isto provide a device for supporting and upon aslide In which is capable of'adjustment moving the articles to be joinedto carry them in a direction lengthwise of the shoe by means through theheating and fusing cycle. of a screw l2 threaded in the slide androtatable In the utilization of such a device for the atin a plate I3attached to a block 20 on a frame tachment of heels to shoes, it isimportant that ll of the machine. The screw is held by lockthe heelshall be positioned in exactly the correct nuts against axial movementwith respect to the location when the two parts are brought toplate.This frame has a top l6 and sides l1, l8, gether to extinguish the arcand thereby fuse the and I9, and on the top is mounted the block 20,metal parts carried by them, for obviously there undercut at 22 (Fig. 2)to provide a guideway can be no correction of this position once the forthe slide In, this guideway being closed at welding has been effected.one end by the plate l3. A vertical alinement Provision is made, inaccordanc with a feaof the heel and shoe is permitted by a transverseture of the invention, for supporting a shoe and spline 2| which allowsthe block 20 to be moved, a heel for relative movement sothat the twomay laterally of the shoe, across the top l6 of the be separated andthen brought together in exframe. When the shoe is presented to thedeactly the desired relation, which supporting vice, the toe end of theshoe is positioned hemeans provide for preliminary positioning of thetween a rubber-covered roll 23 and a stirrup 24 heel upon the shoe andas much adjustment and which engages the bottom of the shoe. Thesereadjustment as may be necessary prior to the devices f p ni g e we endof the shoe development of the electrostatic field which will arecarried on parallel links 26 and 28 which cause the welding action. As.herein illustrated, are pivoted on the slide l0 and are drawn t w theheel is supported above an inverted shoe for t e shoe by springs. A stopscrew 32 arranged tilting movement about a shoulder on the sole o engagea boss 34 on the slide limits the rearat the heel breast line, andmechanism is proward movement of the links (to the right in Fig. videdfor causing this tilting movement. 1), and it will be noted that thestirrup 24 is ture of the invention will be maintained in uprightposition by reason of an Still another fea found in mechanism forapplying additional extension 36 thereon joining the upper ends of thelinks 26 and 28. Forward movement of the stirrup 24 and the links islimited by a'slotted link 88.

After the shoe has been pushed into the toepositioning devices so thatits tread surface is located with respect to the entire device by meansof the stirrup 24, then the last on which the shoe is built is pushedonto a last pin 48 mounted in a block 42 of insulating material which ispivoted on a pin 43 at the forked upper end of a threaded post 44, thepost being vertically slidable in a sleeve 45 depending from and securedto the slide l8. A U-shaped flat spring 48 holds this block 42 normallyin the illustrated position ready to receive the shoe. Heightwise'adjustment of the work support, as to make the position of the shoecorrespond to the height of the heel which is to be employed, isobtained by rotation of a hand wheel 48 which is threaded on said postand rests on a boss on the upper surface of the slide I8.

A spline 41 in the latter enters a groove 58 in the post to preventrotation thereof. The depending sleeve 45 is received in a slot 54 inthe top I8 oi. the frame so that a lengthwise adjustment of the slide I8is permitted.

An electrostatic field intersecting the heel seat portion of the shoe isproduced between two electrodes 88 and 82 which are metal platesconstituting band clamps 64 and 66 and are covered with insulatingmaterial, such as rubber or leather, and adapted to surround the heel Hand the heel seat end or'counter portion of the shoe 5 respectively. Theband clamp 88 is swingable laterally in an inverted U-shaped bracket 68(Fig. 2) attached to the upper end of a forked arm 18 of insulatingmaterial which is pivoted on the stud 43 at the upper end of. the post44. The metal electrode portion 82 of the band clamp 88 is provided withlugs I2 and 14 (Fig. 2) which pivot on a screw I6 passing through thisbracket 88 into the arm I8. A conductor I8 attached to the bracket '88enables this electrode 62 to be connected to one side of ahigh-frequency circuit.

As the band clamp 66 is moved into position around the counter portionof the shoe, it will automaticallyadiust itself to the shoe and will bepressed firmly against the shoe by the action of the springs 38which'are connected through links 88 of insulating material to the sidesof the arm 78. Since the block 42 carrying the last pin 48 and the armI8 carrying the band clamp 88 are preferably constructed of insulatingmaterial, there will be no diversion or scattering of the electrostaticfield intersecting the heel seat.

The heel electrode 88 has laterally extending lugs 82 (Fig. 2) to oneof'which there is connected a conductor 84 for attachment to the otherside of the high-frequency circuit. To

,thesesame lugs are pivoted links 88 of insulating material which arejoined to springs 88 the lower ends of which are fastened to arms. 98.These arms are secured to the ends of a pin 92 which serves 'asa pivotfor the lowerend of the parallel link 28, and the arms 88 are joined byother links 84 to interconnected similar cranks at the opposite'sides ofthe slide I8, said cranks having an operating handle 86. Byturning thehandle 88 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, the tension of the springs 88will be considerably lessened so that the band'clamp 64 may be droppeddown to the frame to permit the ready positioning of the shoe, a'ndsubsequently the heel H. After the heel has been brought into positionagainst the usual shoulder on the shoe sole at the point 88, then theband clamp may be raised into position j to surround the curvedperiphery of the heel, and

projects through the bracket.

with a screw-operated gripping member I84.

This clamp I88 is'pivotally supported between the arms I86 01 a link I88having a body of insulating material and a reduced end II8 which isslidable in a lever II 2 and is adapted to be clamped to said lever by aHorton clutch II4: Between the main portion of the link I88 and thelever H2 there is interposed a. spring H8 and, when the lever reaches a.predetermined position, the clutch will be released by the engagement ofa trigger rod II8 with an abutment plate I28, 0n the upper part of theframe I4 there is bolted an inverted U-shaped frame member I22 having acrossweb- I24, and the abutment plate I28 is adjustably secured to acrossbar I25 on this frame member. Carried at the upper end of the framemember is an angle iron bracket I26 to the right end of which (Fig. 1)there is attached I a plate I28 having its end portions bent forattachment to upright bars I3 the lower ends of these bars being boltedto the frame I4.

When the parts to be welded have been sufilciently heated by the arc ina manner to be more fully explained, then the heel must be pressedfirmly against the shoe, as indicated in Fig. 6. To this end, apreliminary pressure is applied by means of a toggle having links I32and I34. The links I32 are of insulating material and are pivoted on theheel clamp I88, and the toggle is adapted to be broken and laterreturned to straightened position by means of a rod I38 attached to thepivot I38 at the center of the toggle. This rod is slidable through ablock I48 pivotedat the upper end of the cam lever I I2.

Sliding movement of the rod is limited in one direction by nuts I42 and,in the other direction, by a spring I 44 interposed between the blockl48and a collar I46, the spring serving to permit proper operation of thetoggle under various conportion of the plate I28, and the rod isprevented from dropping downwardly in the bracket I68, when the togglehas been broken, by a collar I82 attached to the upper end of the rodwhere it Afterthe toggle has been broken, and ii there is no heel in themachine, the block I 58 might drop were the link I34 not provided with atoe I63 adapted to engage a pin I65 supported on the bracket I68.

This toe I83 also prevents the toggle being thrown any substantialdistance beyondthe position in which the links are in alinement, and thehand wheel 48 is adjusted for each height of heel to bring the toe justabove the pin I 65.

The straightening of, the toggle to bringthe heel into engagement withthe shoe is effected by the lever II2 pivotally supported on acrossshaft I64, and the lever has an arm I86 provided 7 with a cam rollwhichisgeceived in a groove I68 of the cam I18. This cam is mounted on acam shaft I12 to which movement may be imparted by means of a belt I"extending to a counterof the toggle the cam I94 will cause pressure toshaft I16 which is provided with a pulley I18 havbe applied to the heelthrough the lever I82 and ing a handle I80. the vertical rod I52,thereby insuring a full con- Experience has shown that for heelattaching tact of the heel with the heel seat and the upper. it ishighly desirable to press the heel against the 5 In the particulararrangement shown herein, heel seat witha very considerable force sothat' the metallic member M in the shoe is a headed all portions of theperiphery of the cup of the stud the head portion of which lies on theinner heel will closely engage the shoe upper. Acside of the outsole Oand is riveted to the insole. cordingly, the illustrated device isprovided with On the other hand, the metallic member P, which a leverI82 pivoted at I84 (Fig. 2) in the upper is attached to the heel bysuitable fasteners such end of a plate I86 attached to the frame superasnails, is a plate having an upstruck convex structure formed by theplate I28 and the uploop divided at its center. When this loop is rightbar I30. This lever rests against the upper brought back into contactwith the shank portion end of the rod I52 and, when the toggle has beenof the stud in the metallic member M, it can yield straightened, thelever may be depressed to transto compensate for variations .orirregularities in mit pressure through the rod I52, the spring I54, thedistance between the two metallic members. by way of the collar I5I andthe sleeve ISO to At the same time by reason of its springincss the thetoggle and thence to th h el clamp I00, To respective metallic memberswill be firmlyv welded th d, t lever in has anarm we t h h together. Itwill be seen that this welding operthere is secureda depending rod I90connected a ion req i es no conductive connection to the at its lowerend to a cam lever I92 pivoted on the metallic embers which aresubstantially surframe II. The far end of this cam lever has a rounded ya non-metallic d a a t roll resting on the periphery of a cam I94 alsosurface of Co tact. attached to th cam haft [12, It will be understoodthat the electrostatic held In the use of this device to carry out thenovel m y a e u iliz d. a has been described in my method described andclaimed in the'aforemenoopending app a for he pu p s f f s 'tionedapplication, a shoe will be, positioned on a connecting a thereby t -maa soldered the support by first engaging th t end of th joint ratherthan a welded joint. When this is shoe with the tread plate 24' a d th tt 23, done, it is found desirable to introduce a pellet and then pushingthe shoe forward until th p t of soldering material between the metallicmemmay be engaged with th l t pin 4o Th or bers after the heel has beenmoved into its corat some other convenient time the band clamp feetPosition With p t to t s cc r 65 containing the electrode 62 may betilted i y. he ill trated contour of the cam H0 is about the pivot 43 tbring it; i t engagement such that the heel is raised once to such an exwith the heel end of the shoe. During this move tent, s is indicated inF a to pe m he n rmerit the line of pull of the springs 30 will passpositioning of the pellet o so deri g ma e ial bethe dead centerprovided by said pivot and brine fore the electric connection has beenmedeto the band clamp i t firm engagement with the duce an electrostaticfield. The action of the shoe. The operator will then place t heel camthen tilts the heel back to its original posi- H in th clamp mo andsecure therein and tion (Fig. 4), thereby to make a metallic contactwill raise the band clamp 54 to engage the rear between the membersattached to the Shoe n periphery of the heel. After this, having com- 1heel respectively an completes the cy y a a n,

pleted the connection to the leads 18 and 8l totimng'the. heel t0 drawan arc and e ur g i form the high-frequency circuit so as to set up intoits final position. When the device is to be an electrostatic fieldpassing through the heel used for the method of attachment involving aseat of the h t pulley n3 may be turned direct welding of the parts,then the contour of manually or by power t cause the cams no the camwill preferably be slightly changed from and I94 t g0 through a completeThis that which has been illustrated herein so that cycle commences bytilting the lever II2 to a poonly one tilting of the heel isnecessarysition such as thatindicated in Fig. 3, thereby Having thusdescribed my invention. t t b k th toggle d to m the heel to a poshclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pattion such as is shown inFig. 5 to draw 'an are beem of the United states is! tween th t llimembers M and p. The 1. A device for welding metallic articles whichtinuation of the cycle will permit the existence ofare Substantially o dd wit a non-metallic th ar f r a ffiei t period f time to bring solidmedium save at the surface of contact, supthese metallic members to awelding heat such Porting means for said metallic rs and the that, whenthe upper end of the cam lever H2 is surrounding medium, and electrodesd pted to swung to the right in Fig. 1 and the heel is be associatedwith said parts outside the nonbrought down t t position indicated inFig 6, metallic medium andadapted to be connected to the metallicmembers will be in the condition to a source f h -frequency alternatingcurrent, fuse and 111 hold the heel firml to the shoe thereby to set upan electrostatic field surround- It will be understood that the arc willbe extinme said metallic members. o e of said supporting guished as soonas the metallic members contact. means being movable, thereby 130separate Said During this movement of the lever II2 the trigger metallicmembers and to produce an II8 of the Horton clutch connection to thelink A device Welding metallic articles which Ill8 will be broken assoon as said trigger strikes subsPantiauy' Surrounded with 94 I theplate z This plate is adjustably supported talllc solid medium save atthe surface of conso that soon after the Horton clutch is released isupportmg means f Said metallic the heel H will reach a point of contactwith the bars and the surroundmg medium electrodes shoe and, duringfurther movement of the lever adapted tobe associated with Said partsoutside H2, the spring H6 will be compressed to hold the non'metancmedmm and adapted to be 1- the heel in this position. During this orfurther s d to a source of high-frequency ernating movement of th le r1|: t toggle will be current, thereby to set up an electrostatic fieldstraightened through the action of the lever on surrounding saidmetallic members. and ans the rod I36. Immediately after thestraightening "5 for movingone of said supporting means and with it theassociated electrode, thereby to draw tion of contact to draw an arc andthen returning them to a position of contact to effect fusing andthereby to extinguish the arc.

4. A device for attaching heels to shoes comprising individualsupporting means :for both a heel and a shoe, electrodes associated withboth the heel and the shoe and adapted to be connected to a source ofhigh-frequency alternating current, and means for causing relativemovement between said supporting means to establish an arc and to effectfusing.

5. A device for attaching heels to shoes comprising. shoe-supportingmeans, heel-holding means cooperating therewith, electrode platesassociated with the supporting and the holding means, and the terminalsof a high-frequency electrical circuit joined to said plates.

6. A device for attaching heels to shoes comprising a shoe-support,shoe-positioning means associated with the support, heel-holding meanscooperating with the supporting and positioning means, and electrodesjoined to the terminals 01 a high-frequency circuit includedrespectively in the positioning means and in the heel-holding means.

7. A device forattaching heelsto shoes comprising a jack, a heel-holdermovable toward and from the jack, band-clamps embodying electrodes andassociated with said jack and said holder, and the terminals of ahigh-frequency circuit connected to the electrodes.

8. A device for attaching heels to shoes comprising a support for ashoe, an electrode associated with the heel seat end of the shoe on saidsupport and adapted to be connected to one side of a high-frequencycircuit, a tiltably mounted heel support, an electrode associated with aheel on said support and adapted to be connected to the other side ofsaid circuit, and means for tilting said heel support.

9. A device for attaching heels to shoes comprising a support for ashoe, an electrode associated with the heel seat end of the shoe on saidsupport and adapted to be connected to one side of a high-frequencycircuit, a tiltably mounted heel support, an electrode assocated with aheel on said heel support and adapted to be connected to the other sideof said circuit, means for tilting said heel support, and means forapplying pressure to said heel,through said support to force the heelinto firm engagement with the heel seat.

10. A device for attaching heels to shoes comprising a support for ashoe, an electrode associated with the heel seat end of a shoe on saidsupport and adapted to be connected to one side of a highsfrequencycircuit, a heel support, an insulated electrode resting against aside,oi' a heel on said support, yieldable means for causing theelectrode to engage the heel, said electrode being adapted to beconnected to the other side of said circuit, and means for moving saidheel support to draw the heel away from the shoe and for later returningit to engagement with the shoe.

11. A device for attaching heels to shoes compressure-applying means.

prising a support for a shoe, an electrode associated with the heel seatend of the shoe on said suppont and adapted to be connected to one sideof a high-frequency circuit, a'hee1 support, an insulated electroderesting against a side of a heel on said support, yieldable means forcausing the electrode to engage the heel, said electrode being adaptedto be connected to the other side of said circuit, means for moving saidheel support to draw the heel away from the shoe and for later returningit to engagement with the shoe, and means for applying pressure to theheel to force it into firm engagement with the heel seat of the shoe.

12. A device for'attaching heels to shoes comprising a tiltable supportassociated with the heel end of a shoe, means for positioning the toeend of the shoe on the said support arranged to limit the tiltingmovement of said shoe, an insulated electrode surrounding the heel endof the shoe, resilient means for drawing said electrode into firmengagement with the shoe, a heel support, an insulated electrodesurrounding the periphery of a heel on said support, and resilient meansdrawing said electrode toward the heel.

13. A device for attaching heels to shoes comprising a tiltable supportassociated with the heel end of a shoe, means for positioning the toeend of the shoe on the said support arranged to limit the tiltingmovement of said shoe, an insulated electrode surrounding the heel endof the shoe, resilient means for drawing said electrode into firmengagement with the shoe, a heel support, an insulated electrodesurrounding the periphery ofa heel onsaid support, resilient meansdrawing said electrode toward the heel, the direction of tension of saidlast-mentioned means causing said heel to engage the heel seat of theshoe.

14. A device for attaching heels to shoes comprising means to support ashoe in inverted position, a tiltable heel-clamp, a toggle connected tosaidheel-clamp, and cam-operated means for tilting said heel-clamp andfor opening and closing said toggle.

15. A device for attaching heels to shoes comprising a pivotallysupported toe support, a support for the heel end of a shoe on saidsupport, an electrode adapted to cooperate with the heel end of theshoe,

attaching heels to shoes comprising a support for a shoe provided with asole having a breast shoulder, a support for a heel, said heel beingadapted to be positioned by engagement with said breast shoulder, aninthe outer periphment with said shoulder, and ing the tension of saidspring.

l7. A device for attaching heels to shoes comprising a support for r ashoe, means for the tread end 01' a heel, a pivoted link attached tosaid heel-engaging means, pressure-applying adjacent spect to the shoeconstructed and arranged to return said heel into engagement with theshoe andto bring said link into alinement with said GEORGE T. HART, JR.

